1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system managing apparatus, an information processing apparatus, and a method of implementing redundant system-managing-apparatus, and, more particularly to a system managing apparatus, an information processing apparatus, and a method of implementing redundant system-managing-apparatus that can realize a redundant configuration of the system managing apparatus at low cost with a simple mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an information processing apparatus that requires high reliability such as a server device that operates for 24 hours a day takes, in many cases, a redundant configuration having double or multiplexed internal devices. With the redundant configuration, even when a fault occurs in a certain device during the operation, the same type of another device can take over the function and continue the operation.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-204172 discloses a technique of improving reliability of an information processing apparatus by providing redundant internal devices. According to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-204172, the information processing apparatus includes plural power supply devices. When a fault occurs in a power supply device in an operating status, another power supply device is changed to an operating status.
Recently, an information processing apparatus called a blade server that can store plural system blades (SB) within a casing is becoming popular. Each system blade can have a central processing unit (CPU) or a memory mounted thereon, and can be supplied with power from the casing to execute an independent processing. Provision of a blade server has high expandability as compared with provision of plural server devices, and installation space thereof is small.
According to the blade server system, a system managing apparatus called a management blade (MMB) that monitors devices such as the system blade and controls power supply is generally installed within the casing. Since the system managing apparatus plays a very important role of monitoring a status of the system blade and the like, many of relatively expensive blade servers have a redundant configuration having plural system managing apparatuses.
However, many of relatively low-price blade servers include only one system managing apparatus for cost reasons. With the configuration having no redundant system managing apparatus, when a fault occurs in this only one system managing apparatus, it is not only impossible to monitor the status of devices within the casing, but may lead to a serious trouble due to the fault in the device.